〃ought　to　have　this　assortment。　　Once　you　have　tried　my　goods　I　am
  sure　you　will　never　be　without　them。〃
  〃I　have　no　money　with　me；〃　said　the　Wizard；　evasively。
  〃I　do　not　want　money；〃　returned　the　braided　man；　〃for　I　could　not
  spend　it　in　this　deserted　place　if　I　had　it。　　But　I　would　like　very
  much　a　blue　hair…ribbon。　　You　will　notice　my　braids　are　tied　with　yellow；
  pink；　brown；　red；　green；　white　and　black；　but　I　have　no　blue　ribbons。〃
  〃I'll　get　you　one！〃　cried　Dorothy；　who　was　sorry　for　the　poor　man；　so
  she　ran　back　to　the　buggy　and　took　from　her　suit…case　a　pretty　blue
  ribbon。　　It　did　her　good　to　see　how　the　braided　man's　eyes　sparkled
  when　he　received　this　treasure。
  〃You　have　made　me　very；　very　happy；　my　dear！〃　he　exclaimed；　and　then
  he　insisted　on　the　Wizard　taking　the　box　of　flutters　and　the　little
  girl　accepting　the　box　of　rustles。
  〃You　may　need　them；　some　time；〃　he　said；　〃and　there　is　really　no　use
  in　my　manufacturing　these　things　unless　somebody　uses　them。〃
  〃Why　did　you　leave　the　surface　of　the　earth？〃　enquired　the　Wizard。
  〃I　could　not　help　it。　　It　is　a　sad　story；　but　if　you　will　try　to
  restrain　your　tears　I　will　tell　you　about　it。　　On　earth　I　was　a
  manufacturer　of　Imported　Holes　for　American　Swiss　Cheese；　and　I　will
  acknowledge　that　I　supplied　a　superior　article；　which　was　in　great
  demand。　　Also　I　made　pores　for　porous　plasters　and　high…grade　holes
  for　doughnuts　and　buttons。　　Finally　I　invented　a　new　Adjustable
  Post…hole；　which　I　thought　would　make　my　fortune。　　I　manufactured　a
  large　quantity　of　these　post…holes；　and　having　no　room　in　which　to
  store　them　I　set　them　all　end　to　end　and　put　the　top　one　in　the
  ground。　　That　made　an　extraordinary　long　hole；　as　you　may　imagine；　and
  reached　far　down　into　the　earth；　and；　as　I　leaned　over　it　to　try　to　see
  to　the　bottom；　I　lost　my　balance　and　tumbled　in。　　Unfortunately；　the
  hole　led　directly　into　the　vast　space　you　see　outside　this　mountain；
  but　I　managed　to　catch　a　point　of　rock　that　projected　from　this
  cavern；　and　so　saved　myself　from　tumbling　headlong　into　the　black
  waves　beneath；　where　the　tongues　of　flame　that　dart　out　would
  certainly　have　consumed　me。　　Here；　then；　I　made　my　home；　and　although
  it　is　a　lonely　place　I　amuse　myself　making　rustles　and　flutters；　and
  so　get　along　very　nicely。〃
  When　the　braided　man　had　completed　this　strange　tale　Dorothy　nearly
  laughed；　because　it　was　all　so　absurd；　but　the　Wizard　tapped　his
  forehead　significantly；　to　indicate　that　he　thought　the　poor　man　was
  crazy。　　So　they　politely　bade　him　good　day；　and　went　back　to　the　outer
  cavern　to　resume　their　journey。
  11。　　They　Meet　the　Wooden　Gargoyles
  Another　breathless　climb　brought　our　adventurers　to　a　third　landing
  where　there　was　a　rift　in　the　mountain。　　On　peering　out　all　they　could
  see　was　rolling　banks　of　clouds；　so　thick　that　they　obscured　all　else。
  But　the　travellers　were　obliged　to　rest；　and　while　they　were　sitting
  on　the　rocky　floor　the　Wizard　felt　in　his　pocket　and　brought　out　the
  nine　tiny　piglets。　　To　his　delight　they　were　now　plainly　visible；
  which　proved　that　they　had　passed　beyond　the　influence　of　the　magical
  Valley　of　Voe。
  〃Why；　we　can　see　each　other　again！〃　cried　one；　joyfully。
  〃Yes；〃　sighed　Eureka；　〃and　I　also　can　see　you　again；　and　the　sight
  makes　me　dreadfully　hungry。　　Please；　Mr。　Wizard；　may　I　eat　just　one　of
  the　fat　little　piglets？　　You'd　never　miss　ONE　of　them；　I'm　sure！〃
  〃What　a　horrid；　savage　beast！〃　exclaimed　a　piglet；　〃and　after　we've
  been　such　good　friends；　too；　and　played　with　one　another！〃
  〃When　I'm　not　hungry；　I　love　to　play　with　you　all；〃　said　the　kitten；
  demurely；　〃but　when　my　stomach　is　empty　it　seems　that　nothing　would
  fill　it　so　nicely　as　a　fat　piglet。〃
  〃And　we　trusted　you　so！〃　said　another　of　the　nine；　reproachfully。
  〃And　thought　you　were　respectable！〃　said　another。
  〃It　seems　we　were　mistaken；〃　declared　a　third；　looking　at　the　kitten
  timorously；　〃no　one　with　such　murderous　desires　should　belong　to　our
  party；　I'm　sure。〃
  〃You　see；　Eureka；〃　remarked　Dorothy；　reprovingly；　〃you　are　making
  yourself　disliked。　　There　are　certain　things　proper　for　a　kitten　to
  eat；　but　I　never　heard　of　a　kitten　eating　a　pig；　under　ANY　cir'stances。〃
  〃Did　you　ever　see　such　little　pigs　before？〃　asked　the　kitten。　　〃They
  are　no　bigger　than　mice；　and　I'm　sure　mice　are　proper　for　me　to　eat。〃
  〃It　isn't　the　bigness；　dear；　its　the　variety；〃　replied　the　girl。
  〃These　are　Mr。　Wizard's　pets；　just　as　you　are　my　pet；　and　it　wouldn't　be
  any　more　proper　for　you　to　eat　them　than　it　would　be　for　Jim　to　eat　you。〃
  〃And　that's　just　what　I　shall　do　if　you　don't　let　those　little　balls
  of　pork　alone；〃　said　Jim；　glaring　at　the　kitten　with　his　round；　big
  eyes。　　〃If　you　injure　any　one　of　them　I'll　chew　you　up　instantly。〃
  The　kitten　looked　at　the　horse　thoughtfully；　as　if　trying　to　decide
  whether　he　meant　it　or　not。
  〃In　that　case；〃　she　said；　〃I'll　leave　them　alone。　　You　haven't　many
  teeth　left；　Jim；　but　the　few　you　have　are　sharp　enough　to　make　me
  shudder。　　So　the　piglets　will　be　perfectly　safe；　hereafter；　as　far　as
  I　am　concerned。〃
  〃That　is　right；　Eureka；〃　remarked　the　Wizard；　earnestly。　　〃Let　us　all
  be　a　happy　family　and　love　one　another。〃
  Eureka　yawned　and　stretched　herself。
  〃I've　always　loved　the　piglets；〃　she　said；　〃but　they　don't　love　me。〃
  〃No　one　can　love　a　person　he's　afraid　of；〃　asserted　Dorothy。　　〃If　you
  behave；　and　don't　scare　the　little　pigs；　I'm　sure　they'll　grow　very
  fond　of　you。〃
  The　Wizard　now　put　the　nine　tiny　ones　back　into　his　pocket　and　the
  journey　was　resumed。
  〃We　must　be　pretty　near　the　top；　now；〃　said　the　boy；　as　they　climbed
  wearily　up　the　dark；　winding　stairway。
  〃The　Country　of　the　Gurgles　can't　be　far　from　the　top　of　the　earth；〃
  remarked　Dorothy。　　〃It　isn't　very　nice　down　here。　　I'd　like　to　get
  home　again；　I'm　sure。〃
  No　one　replied　to　this；　because　they　found　they　needed　all　their
  breath　for　the　climb。　　The　stairs　had　become　narrower　and　Zeb　and　the
  Wizard　often　had　to　help　Jim　pull　the　buggy　from　one　step　to　another；
  or　keep　it　from　jamming　against　the　rocky　walls。
  At　last；　however；　a　dim　light　appeared　ahead　of　them；　which　grew
  clearer　and　stronger　as　they　advanced。
  〃Thank　goodness　we're　nearly　there！〃　panted　the　little　Wizard。
  Jim；　who　was　in　advance；　saw　the　last　stair　before　him　and　stuck　his
  head　above　the　rocky　sides　of　the　stairway。　　Then　he　halted；　ducked
  down　and　began　to　back　up；　so　that　he　nearly　fell　with　the　buggy　onto
  the　others。
  〃Let's　go　down　again！〃　he　said；　in　his　hoarse　voice。
  〃Nonsense！〃　snapped　the　tired　Wizard。　　〃What's　the　matter　with　you；
  old　man？〃
  〃Everything；〃　grumbled　the　horse。　　〃I've　taken　a　look　at　this　place；
  and　it's　no　fit　country　for　real　creatures　to　go　to。　　Everything's
  dead；　up　thereno　flesh　or　blood　or　growing　thing　anywhere。〃
  〃Never　mind；。　we　can't　turn　back；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃and　we　don't　intend
  to　stay　there；　anyhow。〃
  〃It's　dangerous；〃　growled　Jim；　in　a　stubborn　tone。
  〃See　here；　my　good　steed；〃　broke　in　the　Wizard；　〃little　Dorothy　and　I
  have　been　in　many　queer　countries　in　our　travels；　and　always　escaped
  without　harm。　　We've　even　been　to　the　marvelous　Land　of　Ozhaven't
  we；　Dorothy？so　we　don't　much　care　what　the　Country　of　the　Gargoyles
  is　like。　　Go　ahead；　Jim；　and　whatever　happens　we'll　make　the　best　of　it。〃
  〃All　right；〃　answered　the　horse；　〃this　is　your　excursion；　and　not
  mine；　so　if　you　get　into　trouble　don't　blame　me。〃
  With　this　speech　he　bent　forward　and　dragged　the　buggy　up　the
  remaining　steps。　　The　others　followed　and　soon　they　were　all　standing
  upon　a　broad　platform　and　gazing　at　the　most　curious　and　startling
  sight　their　eyes　had　ever　beheld。
  〃The　Country　of　the　Gargoyles　is　all　wooden！〃　exclaimed　Zeb；　and　so　it
  was。　　The　ground　was　sawdust　and　the　pebbles　scattered　around　were
  hard　knots　from　trees；　worn　smooth　in　course　of　time。　　There　were　odd
  wooden　houses；　with　carved　wooden　flowers　in　the　front　yards。　　The
  tree…trunks　were　of　coarse　wood；　but　the　leaves　of　the　trees　were
  shavings。　　The　patches　of　grass　were　splinters　of　wood；　and　where
  neither　grass　nor　sawdust　showed　was　a　solid　wooden　flooring。　　Wooden
  birds　fluttered　among　the　trees　and　wooden　cows　were　browsing　upon　the
  wooden　grass；　but　the　most　amazing　things　of　all　were　the　wooden
  peoplethe　creatures　known　as　Gargoyles。
  These　were　very　numerous；　for　the　place　was　thickly　inhabited；　and　a
  large　group　of　the　queer　people　clustered　near；　gazing　sharply　upon
  the　strangers　who　had　emerged　from　the　long　spiral　stairway。
  The　Gargoyles　were　very　small　of　stature；　being　less　than　three　feet
  in　height。　　Their　bodies　were　round；　their　legs　short　and　thick　and
  their　arms　extraordinarily　long　and　stout。　　Their　heads　were　too　big
  for　their　bodies　and　their　faces　were　decidedly　ugly　to　look　upon。